<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Nothing Could Ever Stop Us From Stealing Our Own Place In The Sun by foxtales</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22988812">Nothing Could Ever Stop Us From Stealing Our Own Place In The Sun</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxtales/pseuds/foxtales'>foxtales</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Permanently Unfinished [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Firefly, The Lord of the Rings RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Firefly Setting, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 07:07:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,104</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22988812</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxtales/pseuds/foxtales</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Mal gets a job offer he isn't expecting.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Billy Boyd/Dominic Monaghan, Malcolm Reynolds/Inara Serra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Permanently Unfinished [10]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1638784</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>For xsquotessuch who asked so nicely for monaboyd with Firefly and Viggo thrown in.</p><p>Title from "It Has Begun" by starset.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Mortensen was sprawled in a large leather chair, seemingly completely at ease. Mal had dealt with Mortensen enough to know what lay under that calculated mask of serenity, though. "Viggo."</p>
<p>"Malcolm."</p>
<p>"What can I do for you?"</p>
<p>"You still take on passengers?"</p>
<p>Mal shrugged. "If the money's right."</p>
<p>"How much would make it right?"</p>
<p>"Depends on who you're wanting to keep under the radar, Viggo. Seems to me a man don't call on someone known to skirt Alliance less they got something to hide."</p>
<p>One side of Mortensen's mobile mouth curled up into a half smirk. "My two boys," he answered, low and silky.</p>
<p>Mal frowned. Mortensen had two types of "boys." Type ones were purely slave issue and did nothing save what they'd been told to do; type twos had more freedom, independence and spirit. They were still owned though; still controlled by one man's will. He couldn't really afford to turn the job down but he didn't want any part in human trafficking. "Think I'll pass, Mortensen. Thanks anyway."</p>
<p>Viggo made an "enter" gesture with his hand. A moment later, two young men clad only in leather trousers and wrist cuffs walked into the room and stopped before Mortensen. They dropped to their knees, joined their hands in the small of their backs and waited, heads down, for their master's command. "Dominic, William, you are going with Captain Reynolds. He will give you safe passage to Denera."</p>
<p>"Weren't no accord reached, Mortensen," Mal said, trying to keep the anger out of his voice and not completely succeeding.</p>
<p>"Leave us. Close the door after you," Viggo said evenly. Both men gracefully stood and left the room. "You misunderstood me when I called them my boys, Malcolm. They aren't stock, they're mine--my personal servants."</p>
<p>"Why would you be sending your personal servants away, Viggo? Makes no sense."</p>
<p>"You don't have to understand why, Malcolm, you just have to fly them to Denera."</p>
<p>"If I don't?"</p>
<p>Viggo sighed. "Then neither you nor your ship will leave here."</p>
<p>Mal considered his position. "How much are their lives worth to you?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Big thanks to AG and elouisa who spot betaed early versions of this for me and many, many thanks to tigg71 who took what I sent her and made it postable. You are awesome, love.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jayne and Kaylee were sorting the supplies they’d taken on during their stop planetside, when Mal entered the ship followed by two men. Jayne’s eyes widened but he quickly hid the worst of his surprise. Kaylee simply stared at the expanse of skin on display.</p><p>“What’s with the leatherboys?” Jayne snickered. “You finally giving up on bedding Inara?”</p><p>“They’re your next paycheck, courtesy of Mortensen,” Mal retorted, his gaze steely.</p><p>“What, Viggo ain't got ‘nough money to send ‘em with shirts?”</p><p>“They probably ain’t got anything else, Jayne,” Kaylee said softly, trying to ease the tension. She, too, had been looking over the new arrivals and had seen the way they’d followed Mal meekly, they way they stood now, heads down and eyes firmly on the floor, while people discussed them as if they weren’t in the room. “You boys hungry?”</p><p>“Kaylee asked you a question,” Mal snapped when they hadn’t answered after several seconds.</p><p>“No, Mistress, we aren’t hungry, thank you,” the slightly taller of the two replied evenly without raising his head.</p><p>“Mistress? I like that.” Kaylee laughed with surprise and delight.</p><p>“They ain’t saying that to flatter you, Kaylee. Mortensen don’t tolerate bad manners from his property,” Mal replied.</p><p>“Property, huh? Well, lets put ‘em to work then. They can finish hauling around the supplies here,” Jayne said.  “To look at ‘em, they were slaves of a different sort, though,” he added, leering. “Maybe Kaylee here, would like to see them strung up all pretty for her enjoyment instead.”</p><p>Kaylee saw both men clench their jaws and tense at the remarks but keep their heads down and their eyes fixed to the floor. She knew then that these weren’t slaves. Slaves would never react in such a way. “Stop it, Jayne. Ain’t their fault, them being here like this. We don’t know their story yet.” She looked at Mal. “Where’re they goin to stay, Cap’n?”</p><p>Mal shook his head. “No idea.”</p><p>“Maybe Inara…” Kaylee began.</p><p>“Shiny. All the bits o’ trade can have a convention. Think I’ll set me a chair sos I can watch,” Jayne chuckled.</p><p>“Shut your mouth, Jayne,” Mal said tightly.</p><p>Jayne immediately stopped laughing, glared at everyone in the room and stomped off grumbling about how the crazy was obviously spreading on the ship.</p><p>“Listen up,” Mal said, finally turning to look at the two men. “While you’re on my ship, you look a man in the eye and speak when you’re spoken to, we clear?”</p><p>“Yes, Ma—“</p><p>“And <i>don’t</i> call me master,” he broke in. “Nobody on my ship is wanting to be your master or mistress.”</p><p>The ginger haired man, who had said nothing in Mal’s presence up until this point, raised his head and looked Mal directly in the eye. “What should we call you then, sir?”</p><p>“Captain will work just fine.”</p><p>“And you can call me Kaylee. What’s your name?”</p><p>“I am William,” the man replied, inclining his head in greeting.</p><p>“I am Dominic,” the slightly taller man added, also inclining his head in acknowledgement.</p><p>Kaylee smiled again, her face lighting up with excitement at the prospect of learning their stories. “Welcome to the Serenity!”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>For xsquotessuch who asked so nicely for monaboyd with Firefly and Viggo thrown in. =)</p><p>Thanks to unstealthy and dicorvo for the betas.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>William turned to Mal. “Do you have a holding cell, Captain?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Assuming you don’t currently have prisoners, Dominic and I can stay there, yes?”</p><p>Jayne’ll have a field day with that, Mal thought, mentally rolling his eyes.</p><p>“We won’t be in the way then,” Dominic added.  He paused for a moment before meeting Mal’s gaze, his eyebrow raising. “Unless you have need of us?”</p><p>“Won’t be having any need of you—least ways not the type you’re meaning,” Mal said quickly, obviously uncomfortable.</p><p>“And what ‘type’ were you thinking we were meaning, then, Captain?” William said, eyes flashing.</p><p>Mal blinked.</p><p>“Why don’t I just show them to the holding cell, Cap’n?” Kaylee said over-brightly before Mal could take more offence. Her forced smile was threatening to cramp her cheeks.</p><p>“Do that,” Mal ordered, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.</p><p>Kaylee noticed William’s fists clench and his jaw tighten at the dismissal. She thought he was going to actually say something to the Captain but Dominic moved forward, bumping into William, hand brushing over one of the tight fists.  William took a breath and unclenched his hands. Interesting. “William, Dominic, follow me please.”</p><p>The two men trailed after her as she led them through the ship. Neither said a word but she occasionally heard the soft rustle of leather rubbing against leather and wondered whether it was on purpose.</p><p>They reached the kitchen and dining area and Kaylee gestured for them to sit at the table.</p><p>“You’ve got to be hungry. I’ll get some soup for you.”</p><p>“Thank you Kaylee,” Dominic said as he and William got settled at the table.</p><p>“So how long were you with Viggo?” Kaylee asked as she puttered around the kitchen getting their meal ready.</p><p>William and Dominic had a brief conversation in a language she’d never heard before. She wondered if they were actually going to answer.</p><p>“I was born into his service,” Dominic said.</p><p>“And you, William?”</p><p>“I was sent to Viggo fifteen years ago.”</p><p>“Mmm.” She decided to go ahead and ask her most pressing question. “So, what are you two to Viggo? Because you sure ain’t slaves.”</p><p>“And what makes you say that, Kaylee?” Dominic asked, his voice level.</p><p>“I never seen no slaves go ‘round making fists when they get slighted,” she said, looking back over her shoulder at them. “Slaves just take it. So, either you’re lyin’ about how much time you spent in service or you’re lyin’ about being slaves.”</p><p>“We’ve both been trained in service,” William said, meeting her serious gaze.</p><p>“The prince has lost his crown.”</p><p>William and Dominic both whirled around in their seats to see the new arrival.  To their side was a young woman, her long brown hair tucked behind her ears. She was studying them closely.</p><p>“Hello, River,” Kaylee said, smiling. “Meet our guests on this trip, William and Dominic.”</p><p>River curtsied.</p><p>“What’s she on about?” William asked, looking back at Kaylee, eyebrow raised.</p><p>“She’s just…” Kaylee shrugged. “She just says things sometimes.”</p><p>William turned back to River, meeting her stare. They looked at each other for almost a minute before a smile spread across William’s face. Kaylee was amazed at how the smile transformed the man’s face and made him look younger. She was further taken aback when River smiled in return.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Betaed lovingly by dicorvo and tigg71.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kaylee watched as River and William continued to stare at each other.</p><p>Dominic shook his head, got up and walked over to her. “Damn telepaths.”</p><p>“William is a telepath?” Kaylee said, jaw dropping at Dominic’s nod.  She recovered a few moments later. “And you, Dominic? Do you drop in to read people’s thoughts as well?”</p><p>“Not in my genetic makeup, most unfortunately, but if I think something hard enough in his direction,” he said gesturing over to William, “then he receives it.”</p><p>“Is his whole family telepathic?”</p><p>Dominic paused. “You’d have to ask him that,” he answered evasively.</p><p>“Ask me what?” William said, no longer focused on River.</p><p>“You come from a telepathic family?”</p><p>“It surrounds them,” River said slowly. “Those who are more can’t be any other way.”</p><p>“No telling secrets, girl,” William said harshly.</p><p>Kaylee gasped, ready to give the man a piece of her mind for speaking in such a way to River, but realized that River and William were both looking at each other, amused.</p><p>“Damn telepaths,” Dom muttered again under his breath.</p><p>“River?” she asked, just to be certain.</p><p>River returned her gaze intently for a moment. “There is nothing to fear,” she said, looking at each of them before leaving the room.</p><p>“You have us in a situation where nothing is as it’s been for us, and we have no idea as to what will happen, and you think <i>you</i> should be feart?” William said, the edges of his earlier smile fading.</p><p>“You can read our minds, William,” Kaylee said evenly. “If that ain’t a good enough reason—”</p><p>“You have more reason to fear Dominic right now,” William scoffed, gesturing to the man standing a few feet from her. “He can kill in many and creative ways. He’s very good at it. If he wanted you dead, you wouldn’t even have the time to draw enough breath to scream.”</p><p>“You’re not so bad yourself, William,” Dominic said, smiling as he accepted the compliment.</p><p>“Killing ain’t in his heart,” Kaylee said quietly. “Neither of your hearts, I’d reckon.”</p><p>“You know us so well for having spent such a small mount of time in our company,” William retorted.</p><p>“I know what I seen up to now and I know, as you so clearly stated before, that if you wanted us dead, we’d be dead. I’m sure I can’t even think about all the ways to kill a man, and I don’t want to, that’s for Jayne and the Captain and Zoe, not me.” She paused for a moment. “Anyway, just because you know how don’t mean that’s who you are.”</p><p>The room fell silent as Kaylee dished up the soup. Even though Dominic was closer, she took William his bowl first. William set the bowl down on the table before taking Kaylee’s hands in his. She met his serious and steady gaze.</p><p>“Rest easy, Kaylee,” he said, squeezing her hands gently before releasing them. “I scanned the occupants of this ship only to make certain Dominic and I would be safe. I have neither cause, nor desire, to delve deeper into any of your thoughts.”</p><p>“Specially Jayne’s,” Kaylee said with a shudder. “That couldn’t have been pleasant.”</p><p>William laughed and Kaylee was immediately charmed.</p><p>“He is rather…ehm…special,” William agreed, still grinning as his gaze slid to Dominic. “Although he was correct about one thing; Dominic would look good strung up for your viewing pleasure.”</p><p>“Oh,” Kaylee blushed bright red as her gaze shifted to Dominic. He stood in front of the counter, legs shoulder width apart, weight on the balls of his feet with his hands clasped in the small of his back.  He had not an ounce of extra flesh on him and his sleekly muscled body was fit to perfection by the leather. She considered what he might look like with his hands above his head and in restraints, his muscles stretched and straining.  He smiled warmly at Kaylee and watched, amused, as her eyes dropped, unable to hold his.</p><p>“I can assure you, it’s even better than that,” William continued, voice low and silky.</p><p>“William,” Dominic admonished lightly.</p><p>“I wasn’t reading your mind, Kaylee,” William reassured her when she looked at him uncomfortably. “You were broadcasting. Even Dominic could tell what you were thinking right then.”</p><p>“Hey!”</p><p>Kaylee couldn’t meet William’s gaze so she lowered hers, only to be confronted with more sleek and sculpted flesh disappearing into tight leather. Tight leather that did nothing to hide the fact that William had obviously enjoyed the image of Dominic she’d “broadcast.”</p><p>“I—maybe we should find you some other clothes,” she babbled. “You know, sos we ain’t always starin’—I mean, uh…sos you ain’t too distractin’ or—“</p><p>Bright laughter greeted her rush of words and she simply stopped trying to collect her frazzled thoughts and walked back to the counter and handed Dominic his bowl of soup.</p><p>“Eat,” she said a bit breathlessly before lowering her head into her hands.</p><p>Dominic took his bowl over to the table and sat down next to William, so close they were touching from shoulder to toe as they began to eat the meal, twin smiles quirking their lips.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Back To The Start</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Beta/spot check by dicorvo.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once they were in the anteroom, Dominic looked over at William. “Why now?” he asked softly, his eyes dark with worry.</p><p>“He won’t tell me why,” William answered, sighing. “He only says it’s time and he should have done this long ago.”</p><p>“But it makes no <i>sense</i>, William. It’s like he woke up this morning and decided to get rid of us. Viggo can be a mad bastard at times, but this is a bit beyond, even for him, don’t you think?”</p><p>“It’s not for us to question him, Dominic. He says we go to Denera, we go.”</p><p>“It isn’t like that for us, William.”</p><p>“You forget yourself, Dominic,” William said, his brows drawing together in a prelude to a frown. “We belong to Viggo, and we do what he tells us without question.”</p><p>You keep on thinking that, Dom thought, as he mentally rolled his eyes.</p><p>
  <i>I heard that.</i>
</p><p>“I know you did. I wanted you to. Now stop replying directly into my brain, and speak out loud like the rest of us non-telepaths.”</p><p>William reached over and took Dominic’s hand in his, squeezing gently. “We’ll be all right, Dominic.”</p><p>Dominic felt a shiver ride his spine and not just because he loved it when William touched him in any way. “So easy to say that now when we’re still under Viggo’s protection, but the moment we leave this compound we will be in danger and it will never stop; not on Denera, nor anywhere else we may end up. Do you understand that, William?”</p><p>William’s calm green eyes met Dominic’s intense gaze. “We’ll take care of each other and we’ll be fine.”</p><p>Dominic looked down and away after a few moments, trying to blunt the emotions running through him. He loved William, loved him past anything he’d ever been expected to feel when Viggo had paired them up so many years before, and he was scared for him; for the both of them. If anything happened to William…Dominic shuddered at the thought as it occurred to him.</p><p>“Don’t,” William said soothingly as he took Dominic in his arms.</p><p>“I…”</p><p>Whatever Dom was going to say was cut off by William’s mouth closing over his. He shuddered again, this time in pleasure.  Can’t distract me forever, William, he sent as William’s tongue caressed his own.</p><p><i>Don’t need to distract you forever.</i> William’s husky mental chuckle rolled over Dominic’s synapses at the same time William began sucking on his tongue and Dominic’s cock hardened.</p><p>“Unfair advantage,” Dominic panted as they broke for air.</p><p>“And you love it,” William replied, breathless as well as he leaned his forehead against Dominic’s.</p><p>They stayed like that, holding each other tightly and drawing comfort from the nearness, until they heard the doorknob start to turn. By the time the door was opened and Captain Reynolds was stalking into the anteroom, they were standing apart, heads down respectfully, their hands clasped in the small of their backs again.</p><p>“Captain Reynolds has agreed to terms. You will leave with him immediately.”</p><p>Dominic didn’t dare lift his head, but he caught the tightening of William’s face from the corner of his eye. What did he tell you, William, he pleaded, but William stayed silent.</p><p>
  <i>Dominic.</i>
</p><p>Dominic immediately recognized Viggo’s mental voice. Yes, sir, he sent respectfully.</p><p>
  <i>You must keep him safe, Dominic, from himself as well as outside forces. Watch over him as never before.</i>
</p><p>Sir, please, why are you sending us away from your protection? I am only one man…</p><p>
  <i>This place is no longer safe. You must leave, there is nothing for it.</i>
</p><p>Thank you, sir, Dominic sent softly. There was no further information forthcoming and he knew the conversation was over.</p><p>“Well, come on then,” Reynolds said, obviously unhappy with the proceedings.</p><p>Dominic and William fell in behind him as he stalked out into the hallway and began to lead them to the next chapter of their lives.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. What I'll Remember Most</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Written for the 2007 two_of_us_fic challenge. Written in my Firefly AU which is dedicated to xsquotessuch who so long ago asked for monaboyd with Firefly and Viggo thrown in.</p><p>Many, many thanks out to canciona for betaing, and especially for the suggestion that made this much better than what I started out with. Also thanks to dicorvo for the spot checks!</p><p>My lyrics were:</p><p>  <i>Oh, dirty Maggie Mae, they have taken her away and she'll never walk down Lime Street anymore</i></p><p>  <i>from Maggie Mae</i></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Even as William woke, his mind was searching, instinctively reaching out for reassurance in the wake of his dream. He found only silence. He curled tighter into himself, away from Dominic, needing the brush of a mind more than physical comfort. Desperate and half-ashamed, he sent out a plea to Viggo, but there was no answer. He hadn’t really expected one. Viggo had informed him before they’d departed with Captain Reynolds that there could be no further contact between them once William and Dominic left his compound, but being without the familiar mental presence was agonizing. His hands curled into fists as a wave of intense emotion washed over him – loneliness, sadness, emptiness. Viggo had been the last person with whom William could properly share his mind-self, the last person who knew what it was to have been a part of the Otherworld; who knew the anguish of losing such an integral part of oneself. To go from being surrounded by the soothing mental buzz of the Others to this nothingness - his life had only been bearable because of Viggo. What was he to do now? He could feel himself begin to sink into despair and he turned his mind back to the dream.</p><p>It had been a memory of the day his father had sent him away. The suns had shone a muted orange and pink over the purple smudges of the distant Thraxan Barrier. The tall red babritch trees had been in full bloom, their black and yellow flowers rustling in the gentle breeze. That same wind had insistently tugged strands of his unruly hair from beneath his circlet. He’d felt a brush of warm affection in his mind and had turned his head, catching a glimpse of the taller sandy-haired man coming up behind him. They’d had words - William wanted to stay despite the unrest beyond the Barrier, but his father had firmly put his foot down on the matter. William and his sisters were to be sent away for the duration of the Change, as it was being called; the dissolution of the Lesser Kingdoms and the construction of a new government, each province sending representation over which William’s father, as High King, would preside. As Crown Prince, William wanted to be involved to show that this would last, that it was a change supported by the next generation of ruling Family as well as the current one. When he’d looked into his father’s light blue eyes, he’d seen the fear, but knew that he had no choice but to follow his father’s dictate; to disobey a direct mind-mouth order from the High King was punishable by death. A sense of resignation had settled over him. He’d looked back then, his eyes sweeping across the spectacular view as if to memorize every detail, to burn this image of his home into his brain so that he would never forget where he came from.</p><p>He allowed his anger at his father’s decision to send him away to surge through him. Better anger than despair - anger would fuel his need to find answers, keep him going when there didn’t seem to be any other reason for doing so. He soaked it in, let it fill him, lift him and carry him past the gaping hole that threatened to overwhelm him.</p><p>William felt the sudden press of Dominic’s chest against his back and the vibration of the low rumble Dominic made from deep in his throat. He knew it was the closest his companion could come to the soothing sound William often made when Dominic was upset or injured. Without the accompanying mental reassurance, though, William felt himself dragged back toward the despair.  He grabbed onto his anger and pulled it back around him like a blanket.</p><p>He rolled to face Dominic. The faint light coming from under the <i>Serenity</i>’s prison hold door illuminated the much beloved features of his longtime companion.</p><p>“I dreamt of my father sending me away,” he said grimly.</p><p>“He did what he felt he had to do in order to protect you, William,” Dominic replied quietly as he reached out to pull William to him, gently stroking the bare skin of his back and shoulders.</p><p>It was the same response Dominic had given every other time, and had William still been in Viggo’s compound and had access to mental comfort, it probably would have been enough to calm him. Now, it only drew attention to the missing part of him.</p><p>“He sent me from my home and my family. He took away my entrance to the Otherworld. He took away my <i>life</i>.” William’s voice shook with the force of his anger and pain.</p><p>“He wanted you to <i>survive</i>,” Dominic said, low and forceful.  The hand that cupped the back of William’s head, though, was gentle.</p><p>William knew his companion didn’t, <i>couldn’t</i>, understand what he was going through. He could understand, on an intellectual level, the idea of the Otherworld and the concept of melding consciousnesses when William explained it, but he would never grasp the fusion of emotions, the dissolution of mental and emotional barriers, the <i>bonding</i> that resulted, nor the horror of having it taken away.  He could still remember how devastated he’d been when Viggo had explained to him that the distance was too great to travel without the babritch spores in the air to enhance the telepathic gateway.  He’d been able to stand the burden only because of Viggo’s own experience with the loss of the Otherworld. The fact that the man had still lived had given William hope that he, too, would be able to push past the loss eventually. Now, though…</p><p>“Like this? Cut off from everything and everyone that could possibly fill this emptiness?”</p><p>“Is there no one?” William heard and felt Dominic’s flash of hurt as he spoke the words. “I thought Viggo…“</p><p>“He is gone from me. I am…alone.” William’s voice broke on the last word as he fought the despair again.</p><p>Dominic’s eyes closed, but held nothing back, and even in the absence of the mental and spiritual bond that he craved, William knew, in that moment, exactly what Dominic was feeling – love, distress that he couldn’t provide the mental comfort William needed, anxiety over their situation and stark pain at William’s choice of words. Dominic grabbed William and pulled him closer, holding him so tightly it hurt.</p><p>
  <i>Never alone, William. Not so long as I live, I swear it.</i>
</p><p>Shame washed over William, momentarily overshadowing his pain. True, his companion couldn’t share every aspect of his life, but he did the best he could, and he deserved no less from William. He sighed deeply, pushing away both the anger and the despair, and focusing instead on his love for the man who held him so securely. He kissed Dominic’s shoulder, then his neck, a silent apology.</p><p>Dominic bent his head and pressed his lips to William’s nape, accepting it.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>